J'arrive dans Paris

View from my Paris home for the next 2 months

I'm jet-lagged, my body has not adjusted to the 6 hour time difference, and my French language skills have plenty of room for improvement, but I am here. 2 months in Paris should hopefully be enough to remedy all of those problems, along with helping me accomplish a few other goals as well.

So what am I doing otherwise? I arrived at Charles De Gualle airport on Saturday around 9:40 am. Romain and I took the train back into Paris to his apartment. I wasn't able to sleep on the plane at all, so I watched two movies and finished reading David Lebovitz's book. I attempted to take a nap after arriving at the apartment, but was to tired to even sleep. Traveling out of my time zone is always a challenge. The first day or two always feels like a time warp to me.

Not able to sleep, Romain and I decided to go to Pere Lachaise, the lovely old cemetery in Paris. Known to most foreigners because Jim Morrison had been buried there (even my 17yr old nephew knew this, most impressive). It is also the resting place for many other famous people. Aside from this, it is a very beautiful cemetery filled with old monuments, some are very intricately designed. I now understand why so many people had recommended I go see it. I did not take my camera, being so tired, I didn't want to lugg it around with me. I am sure I will get back there this summer to take some photos.

Sunday was the first day of summer, and the French in Paris celebrate it with "Fete de la Musique". Throughout the day and evening bands were playing in the streets of Paris. We walked to the St. Germain area to listen to a few bands and meet up with some friends at a bar for drinks. When one band finished their set, all we had to do was walk a few more blocks and we'd come accross another band to listen to. We finished the evening outside a pub in the 15 arrondissement listening to a band that played a variety of songs ranging from the Bueno Vista Social Club, to Sting, to Seal and James Brown. The band was fun and the crowd was lively.

Today I slept late. My body still wants to be on Boston time. I forced myself out of bed at a quarter till 11am. (That's 5am EST time, yikes!) I'm fighting the urge to take a nap....I really want to sleep tonight. I took a quick trip to the Monoprix to find some of the yummy yogurt I had when I was here in March, and to get a few ingredients for dinner. (I have to start fulfilling my promise of cooking for Romain). I need to look for some places to take some intensive French lessons. But what I really want to do, aside from going to visit a patisserie is, I want to bake! I want to be in the kitchen making stuff. I hopefully will find out this week when I might be able to start working at the cafe. In the meantime I'll work on learning more French and making desserts for Romain and his friends.

Apricot and Mango Yogurt, c'est bon!

Time to go take a walk. The sun is shining and the weather is nice, or as the French say, "Il fait beau!"